The longest government shutdown in U.S. history officially ended on Wednesday after 43 days with the final passage of legislation to reopen the federal government. According to Reuters, government workers—including employees will begin returning to their jobs as early as today, but full government services and operations may take a while to fully resume.
Industry associations released statements responding to the news.
“Hotel owners are on the front lines of America's economy. Every day the shutdown continued, it put more small businesses and jobs at risk," AAHOA Chairman Kamalesh (KP) Patel said in one statement. "We're relieved to see government operations resume so the focus can return to supporting economic stability and growth."
"Our members operate nearly 20,000 hotels, supporting more than 1 million direct jobs across the nation," AAHOA President and CEO Laura Lee Blake added. "The shutdown has delivered a palpable jolt to local economies and small business owners. Reopening the government is essential to restoring confidence and helping the hospitality sector regain its footing."
Earlier this month, AAHOA joined more than 30 other hotel and hospitality organizations in highlighting the economic impact of the shutdown. Each day of closure was estimated to cost the U.S. economy roughly $31 million in hotel-related activity, with the industry losing approximately $650 million since the start of the disruption.
“The American people deserve a working government. It’s time to get back to work so that we can restore critical funding and services that support millions of people, including travelers and those working in travel-related fields.
“Over the past several days, the federal workforce designed to support and oversee our travel ecosystem began to show cracks at the seams,” said Rosanna Maietta, president and CEO, American Hotel & Lodging Association. “In light of these conditions, nearly 20 percent of Americans have indicated that they cancelled or changed their Thanksgiving travel plans. The economic uncertainty associated with the shutdown coupled by the reality of travel disruptions rattled consumer confidence, leading to trip cancellations and decreased future bookings.
“With restored funding and staffing for essential services, consumers will once again be able to make plans and travel with certainty. We urge Congress to reach a long-term budget agreement ahead of the next deadline. Neither travelers nor the millions of small businesses that are the backbone of the hotel industry can afford another shutdown.”
“The reopening of the federal government brings much-needed stability back to America’s aviation system,” said ACI-NA Kevin M. Burke, president and CEO of Airports Council International – North America, the trade association representing commercial service airports in the United States and Canada. “The longest shutdown in history created significant uncertainty and operational disruption for airports, federal employees, and travelers. Airports rely upon fully functioning federal agencies to maintain the safety and efficiency of the national airspace system.”
“We are grateful to the FAA, TSA, CBP, and other federal employees who continued to serve throughout the shutdown. Their dedication kept the system functioning safely under challenging circumstances. As agencies return to normal operations, airports will continue working closely with federal partners to support a smooth transition and minimize any lingering impacts.”